In a global context dominated by digital technology which favors instant access to information, handling it has never been so easy. An ease exacerbated by the accelerated development of artificial intelligence (AI). The latter is only in its infancy. However, it makes the creation and dissemination of false information even easier. A situation which raises concerns in particular for the media. They are now faced with an important challenge: that of authenticity. What if to address this, the media exploited the possibilities offered by crypto? And basically, is it really calibrated to solve this problem? Answers in this article.
On the questioning of media authenticity by AI
Talking about authenticity in the media and the means to guarantee it is to address an eminently fundamental question for democratic states. Make no mistake. Authenticity in the media is an essential pillar of democracy and, more broadly, of modern society. It affects public confidence in the media, which is supposed to assume a role of 4e power vis-à-vis the executive, legislative and judicial powers.
In an era where information is ubiquitous and just a click away, public trust in the truthfulness of media is crucial. In particular to guarantee full participation of citizens in democratic life. But the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) poses new challenges to this authenticity.
This technology enables the creation of sophisticated media content that is sometimes, if not often, indistinguishable from reality. Technologies like deepfakes can, for example, manipulate videos to make anyone say or do anything. Which, ultimately, endangers trust in information sources.
It must be said that this questioning by AI of the authenticity of the media is worrying in more than one respect. First, it undermines public trust in traditional and online media. It thus undermines the crucial role of the media as the fourth power in society. In addition, it opens new horizons for the spread of disinformation and manipulation. A situation which has the effect of compromising the quality of public debate and democratic decision-making.
Faced with these increasingly growing challenges as AI experiences rapid development, it has become imperative to develop innovative solutions to guarantee the authenticity of media. Beyond strengthening capabilities to detect falsified content, some believe crypto can offer promising ways to verify the origin and integrity of media content. But can she really?
Usefulness of crypto to preserve media authenticity divides
Yes, crypto, of which blockchain is one of the major developments, has significant potential to strengthen the security and credibility of information. However, could it provide a solution to the recurring problem of authenticity in media threatened by AI?
The question is debated between supporters and detractors of this idea. For the latter, crypto through the blockchain would not have a network of trust essential for the identification of sources of information. However, the decentralization inherent in blockchain offers a paradigm shift according to proponents. Unlike centralized systems that are susceptible to manipulation, blockchain promotes transparency and accountability. Which would lay the foundations of an ecosystem where authenticity is essential.
Basically, the detractors of that idea have a clear opinion. For them, blockchain does not appear to be a panacea for fake news. It is becoming much more of an essential tool for validating the authenticity of media, thereby strengthening society’s resilience in the face of manipulation and deception. However, this does not exclude efforts for the urgent implementation of robust verification mechanisms, beyond the possibilities offered by crypto signatures. The other argument put forward is that it is not enough to sign a video to guarantee its authenticity. The key is to verify the source to maintain trust in the absence of accessible metadata.
Paradoxically, this is where the potential of blockchain lies. Indeed, by decentralizing the verification process, it could allow users to discern authentic content from fabrications generated by AI. This could limit the Trust me bro syndrome, implying blind faith, perpetuated by traditional media. Despite everything, there are efforts being made in this direction.
Efforts to Confirm Media Authenticity Through Crypto
Beyond the speeches and speculations, we are seeing initiatives emerge that are committed to providing solutions to concerns around media authenticity. One of the most notable involves the Reuters news agency. Last year, the latter participated in a pilot project aimed at testing a system that certifies the authenticity of an image from its capture to its publication. This, using the blockchain and crypto signature.
Concretely, the initiative consisted of the use of Canon cameras designed to assign a unique identifier (hash) to each photo, signed cryptographically. Subsequently, the photos are recorded on a public blockchain, and updated after each modification.
Thus, the authenticity of a photo can be verified by comparing its hash on the public registry. The stakes are obvious for journalism. The project targets strengthening trust in visual content, facing the risks of manipulation and disinformation linked to advances in AI and the decentralized web. This initiative, which is not the only one, illustrates the efforts made to put blockchain at the service of media authenticity.
Conclusion
Broadly speaking, we must remember that media authenticity faced with the rise of AI requires innovative solutions. Certainly crypto, particularly blockchain, offers promising prospects. However, it divides over its effectiveness. Despite everything, an initiative such as the Reuters pilot project shows that efforts are possible to change the situation. Especially since building public trust in the media requires a multidisciplinary approach involving technology, transparency and collaboration.
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